The NFL has announced its disciplinary actions today for the New Orleans Saints pay-for-performance “bounty” scandal.

According to the NFL, four players — Scott Fujita, Anthony Hargrove, Will Smith, and Jonathan Vilma — have been suspended for “conduct detrimental to the NFL” as a result of their leadership roles in the Saints’ bounty program from 2009-11.

“No bounty program can exist without active player participation,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “The evidence clearly showed that the players being held accountable today willingly and enthusiastically embraced the bounty program. Players put the vast majority of the money into this program and they share responsibility for playing by the rules and protecting each other within those rules.”

New Broncos cornerback Tracy Porter, a former Saint, is not among the suspensions.

The most severe suspension is for Vilma, who has been suspended for the entire season, without pay. The linebacker’s punishment is effective immediately.

Hargrove, a defensive lineman now with the Green Bay Packers, is suspended for the first eight games; Smith, a defensive end still with the Saints, is suspended for the first four games; and Fujita (who is now with Cleveland) is suspended for three games.

NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith said in a statement that the union had not received “specific evidence from the league of these specific players’ involvement in the alleged pay-to-injure program.”

“We have made it clear that punishment without evidence is not fair. We have spoken with our players and their representatives and we will vigorously protect and pursue all options on their behalf,” Smith said in the statement.

The Saints play at Denver on Oct. 28 in a Sunday night game, which is New Orleans’ seventh game of the season.

According to the NFL report, Vilma, who was the captain of the defense, assisted Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams “in establishing and funding the program. Multiple independent sources also confirmed that Vilma offered a specific bounty — $10,000 in cash — to any player who knocked Arizona quarterback Kurt Warner out of the 2009 Divisional Playoff Game and later pledged the same amount to anyone who knocked Minnesota quarterback Brett Favre out of the 2009 NFC Championship Game the following week (played on January 24, 2010). Vilma is eligible to be reinstated after the Super Bowl in 2013.”

Former Saints running back Reggie Bush, who played in New Orleans from 2006-10, tweeted that the suspensions are “outrageous! I’m honestly speechless about how all of this has played out. Something needs to be done about this!!”

He later added “You want something less physical go watch basketball or baseball! This is what we do! Period!” and then “Next thing you know we’ll be playing two hand touch football!”

Warner responded to Bush directly by tweeting: “unfortunately it’s not about the violence, but the intent & integrity of game that goes with it!”

The NFL’s report stated Hargrove submitted a signed declaration that established not only the existence of the program but that he participated in it. Also, Hargrove told at least one player on another team that Vikings quarterback Brett Favre was a target of a large bounty during the NFC Championship Game in January 2010.

Smith, the report says, also helped establish and fund the program when he was the captain of the defense. The NFL said Smith and Fujita pledged significant money for “cart-offs” and “knockouts.”

The NFL said Fujita, Hargrove and Smith can be with their teams in the preseason, including preseason games, and the suspensions begin with the start of the regular season. Each player has three days to appeal the decision with the NFL.

According to The Associated Press, the NFL sent a memo today to the NFL’s 32 teams, and Goodell reminded them that “any program of non-contract bonuses, however it is characterized, is a violation of league rules” and said that every head coach must review those rules with assistants and players during mini-camp or preseason training camp.

Also, all players will be told how they can confidentially report rules violations.